Canada’s chief public health officer said Sunday that the country is seeing more infections from coronavirus variants of concern, adding that now is a “crucial moment” to tamp down on the spread of COVID-19.
“In parts of Canada, variants of concern represent an increasingly high proportion of cases and are being associated with a greater number of outbreaks,” Dr. Theresa Tam said in a statement.
“If we can keep up with personal protective measures and limit our contacts for a final push to keep COVID-19 infection rates down as vaccine programs scale up, we can keep the path clear for vaccines to do their part.”
Tam said there have been 4,499 cases of coronavirus variants confirmed in Canada as of Thursday. Variants of concern are taking a particularly strong hold in Western Canada, with Regina seeing nearly all of its cases from the variants, prompting health officials to urge caution and warn that lockdowns may return.
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1/2 <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#COVID19</a> key concerns in ????????: With vaccine programs expanding, infection rates are dropping in adults >80 years & fewer outbreaks in long term care reassure us that vaccines will bring more & greater benefits in the weeks to come. <a href=”https://t.co/6ijCCnrMeG”>https://t.co/6ijCCnrMeG</a>
However, Tam noted that cases are down nationally and said she is encouraged by Canada’s vaccine numbers. More than 670,000 doses were administered in the past week, she said, out of more than 3.68 million overall.
“Each week, a new high is being set for the number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered, and we can expect more and greater benefits to come,” Tam said.
What’s happening across Canada
As of 6 p.m. on Sunday, Canada had reported 933,790 cases of COVID-19, with 35,009 cases considered active. A CBC News tally of deaths stood at 22,679.
The province says there is an elevated risk of COVID-19 in Regina due to community transmission of coronavirus variants. It recommends that Regina and area residents, particularly those over age 50, not increase their household bubbles to include the two to three households up to 10 people allowed under current regulations. They should consider remaining with their current household only, the province says.
WATCH | Officials urge caution as variants take hold in Western Canada:
The COVID-19 variants are taking hold in much of Western Canada with confirmed cases doubling in some provinces and Regina seeing nearly all its cases from the variants, prompting health officials to urge caution and warn that lockdowns may return. 1:32
Health Minister Christine Elliott says residents aged 75 and older will be able to book vaccination appointments online starting on Monday.
Starting March 22, Ontarians aged 75+ will be able to book vaccination appointments online at <a href=”https://t.co/pxlgLpkLxR”>https://t.co/pxlgLpkLxR</a> or call the Provincial Vaccine Information Line at 1-888-999-6488. Please only access the booking tool or call for support if you’re eligible for an appointment. <a href=”https://t.co/aesDfsEj5a”>pic.twitter.com/aesDfsEj5a</a>
Starting on March 26, three of the province’s regions are set to move to the yellow alert level.
That means restrictions will loosen, bars can reopen and curfews will be cancelled in the Gaspé and the Magdalen Islands, the North Shore and Northern Quebec.
Nova Scotia reported six new cases, the highest daily number in two weeks. The province now has 21 known active cases.
In a news release, Premier Iain Rankin noted that Sunday is the last day of March break, and he urged teachers and children to remain vigilant.
“Please remember to keep doing what we have been doing so well all along,” he said. “Keep our social circles small, follow public health measures and get tested.”
WATCH | Atlantic bubble set for April reopening:
Four premiers have planned to reopen the Atlantic bubble in mid-April, allowing people to travel between Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, P.E.I. and New Brunswick without isolating. 1:56
New Brunswick added one new case on Sunday as the province announced a program to vaccinate high school teachers.
It’s expected that this week, 4,500 staff from high schools province-wide will receive a first dose at a clinic in one of 16 locations. Schools will be closed to students on the days that local clinics are being held to allow for high school staff to be vaccinated and plan for the full return to school.
Newfoundland and Labrador‘s active caseload remains at five after the province again saw no new infections on Sunday.
N.L. is moving into Phase 2 of its vaccine rollout, meaning those who are 70 and older can pre-register for their shot. The Department of Health said registration can be done online, but people will not receive a separate email confirmation after pre-registering.
What’s happening around the world
As of Sunday, more than 122.9 million cases of COVID-19 had been reported worldwide with 69.3 million cases listed as recovered, according to a tracking tool maintained by Johns Hopkins University. The global death toll stood at more than 2.7 million.
In Asia, India reported 43,846 new cases — its highest number of new infections in four months — amid a worrying surge that has prompted multiple states to return to some form of restrictions on public gathering.
A person is tested for COVID-19 at a long distance train station in Mumbai on Sunday. (Rafiq Maqbool/The Associated Press)
In Europe, Romania on Sunday recorded 1,334 COVID-19 patients in intensive care units — its highest number since the pandemic began.
In the Americas, Colombia became the first country in the region to receive a shipment of vaccines from the United Nations-backed COVAX initiative after more than a million doses of Chinese-developed Sinovac and AstraZeneca shots touched down in Bogota late Saturday.
In Africa, Guy Brice Parfait Kolélas, the leading opposition presidential candidate in Republic of Congo, was receiving oxygen at a private hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19, a family member said, casting Sunday’s election into doubt.
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HOUSTON (AP) — Brian White scored in the second half to rally the Vancouver Whitecaps to a 1-1 draw with the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday night.
Houston (12-9-8) took a 1-0 lead into halftime after Ezequiel Ponce scored on a penalty kick in the seventh minute of stoppage time. Ponce’s third goal this season came after Amine Bassi drew a foul on Whitecaps midfielder Pedro Vite following a video review. It was Ponce’s sixth career appearance, all starts.
Vancouver (13-8-7) scored the equalizer in the 73rd minute when White, who entered in the 60th, used assists from Fafá Picault and Ryan Gauld to find the net for the 13th time this season. Picault’s assist was his fifth, matching his career high for a single season. Gauld’s assist gives him a career-best 13 on the season.
Yohei Takaoka, who had clean sheets in his last three starts, finished with one save in goal for the Whitecaps.
Steve Clark saved three shots for the Dynamo, who remain one point behind Vancouver in the Western Conference standings.
Houston, which was coming off a 4-1 victory over Real Salt Lake, has allowed just 33 goals this season.
Vancouver — 6-2-2 in its last 10 matches overall — leads the all-time series 10-9-6.
The Whitecaps remain on the road to play the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday. The Dynamo travel to play Austin FC on Saturday.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Tom Pearce and Nathan Saliba scored in the second half — the first goals of their careers — and CF Montreal rallied for a 2-2 draw with the New England Revolution on Wednesday night.
“In the second half, the guys came out a little more ambitious and above all, more connected,” Montreal head coach Laurent Courtois said. “It was a great second half of resilience and fighting spirit. Nathan and Sam were impressive.
“Impressive in covering the gaps and compensating for the teammates, and the individual defending – yes it’s true, it is a lot of weight on their shoulders, but that’s the job.”
New England (8-16-4) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 24th minute on Bobby Wood’s third goal of the season. Teenage defender Peyton Miller notched his first assist in his fourth career start and sixth appearance and Carles Gil picked up his ninth of the season. Peyton, at 16 years, 315 days old, is the eighth youngest player in league history to record his first assist.
The Revolution took a two-goal lead in the 35th minute and held it through halftime when 19-year-old Esmir Bajraktarevic took a pass from Gil and scored his third goal of the season and career in his first full season in the league. It was the 73rd regular-season assist in Gil’s career, tying him with Steve Ralston for the most in club history.
Montreal (7-12-10) pulled within a goal in the 54th minute when Pearce scored off a free kick after defender George Campbell drew a foul on New England’s Mark-Anthony Kaye. It was the first goal for Pearce in his third career start and fourth appearance.
“Playoffs are the goal. Maybe it wasn’t in the best form, but in the end, we are picking up a point,” Pearce said. “We came into this game confident, ready to play our own game. Everyone tries their best, whenever the players are called on, we are always ready, and we are always giving it our best.”
Montreal scored the equalizer in the 68th minute on the first career goal by Saliba, a 20-year-old midfielder. Saliba has made 34 starts and 48 appearances with Montreal in his two seasons in the league. Campbell snagged his second assist of the season and the third of his career.
“It’s an incredible feeling, it’s a goal I’ve been waiting for a long time. I’m extremely happy that I was able to score it and that it can help the team take this important point on the road,” Saliba said. “Pearce’s first goal gave us really good momentum and we kept up the pressure to go for a second goal. We got more solid defensively, and we came back ready after halftime, to push for these 3 points.”
Aljaz Ivacic finished with four saves in goal for the Revolution.
Jonathan Sirois stopped four shots for Montreal.
New England beat Montreal 5-0 on the road on Aug. 24.
New England leads the all-time series 16-13-4. Montreal improves to 5-8-2 on the road against the Revs.
The Revolution travel to take on Charlotte FC on Saturday. Montreal returns home to host the Chicago Fire on Saturday.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Adolis García hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning, Cody Bradford pitched seven strong innings after the worst start of his career, and the Texas Rangers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0 on Wednesday night.
The win kept the defending World Series-champion Rangers alive in the AL West race, trailing first-place Houston by 10 games with 10 to play.
García launched an inside sinker over the left-field wall off Toronto starter Bowden Francis (8-5) after Wyatt Langford singled.
“He swings hard, he swings a lot,” Francis said of García. “I guess the velo was dropping during that time.”
Bradford (6-3) allowed five hits and no walks while striking out six.
The seven shutout innings are the most in a game during his two-year career. He was knocked out of his previous start after allowing career highs in hits (nine), runs (eight) and homers (three) in 3 2/3 innings in a 14-4 loss at Arizona.
“Throughout the week, you’ve got to try and digest what happened, see where I can make adjustments, whether it was just game plan went wrong or just poor execution, or a little bit of both,” Bradford said. “Then you flush it.”
Bradford was perfect through four innings before Alejandro Kirk opened the fifth with a smash back to the mound that caromed off Bradford’s left foot and rolled into right field for a single. It extended Kirk’s hitting streak to a career-high 12 games.
Spencer Horwitz’s double to left-center put runners on second and third with no outs before Bradford retired the next three batters.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider credited Bradford’s “deceptive fastball.”
“When you’re throwing 89, 92, you’ve got to have pretty good deception with that at this level,” Schneider said. “Kept us off balance.”
Kirby Yates pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 31st save in 32 opportunities.
Francis, who took no-hitters into the ninth inning in two of his previous four starts, allowed a double to Marcus Semien, the Rangers’ first hitter of the game. He gave up five hits and one walk in six innings.
Francis has a 1.96 ERA in nine starts with 54 strikeouts and seven walks since being moved back into the starting rotation in late July.
“I don’t even want to get complacent, on cruise control,” Francis said. “Just keep attacking.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: SS Bo Bichette was a late scratch with a right middle finger contusion suffered during infield practice. Schneider said the team will get back x-rays on Thursday. Bichette was activated Tuesday following a calf injury and played for the first time in two months, going 2 for 5 with one RBI at the plate. … INF Will Wagner (left knee inflammation) will have the knee scoped on Thursday. Schneider said Wagner should be ready to start spring training. Wagner, son of former major leaguer Billy Wagner, was acquired from Houston at the trade deadline.
UP NEXT
Rangers rookie RHP Kumar Rocker (0-0, 2.25 ERA) will make his home debut against Blue Jays RHP Kevin Gausman (12-11, 4.02) in the series finale. Rocker allowed one run in four innings at Seattle last Thursday in his major league debut.
